• SDMC – Campus Planning and Decision Making Process

    The Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Education established and approved the campus-level planning and decision-making process in 1992. This process includes the creation and maintenance of a Shared DecisionMaking Committee (SDMC) at each school to review the District’s educational goals, objectives, and major Districtwide classroom instructional programs. Each committee will be designed to involve professional and non-professional staff, parents, community members, and business representatives in establishing academic and other performance objectives of the school for each academic excellence indicator adopted in the Texas Education Code (TEC).

    Membership

    The school principal determines the size of the committee.  Membership must include parents, community representatives, and no more than one business representative. Professional staff members must include at least two-thirds classroom teachers and one-third other campus-level professional staff. The TEC stipulates the ratio between the number of classroom teachers and other school-based staff members.  The number of classroom teachers should be at least twice the number of school-based professionals (2:1). This ratio does not apply to non-instructional staff members, parents, or business and community members. No more than one non-instructional staff member should be elected to the SDMC.  Other SDMC members must include at least two parents of students currently enrolled within the District selected by the campus's parent organization; two community members; and one business representative. The principal has the authority to appoint additional parents, community representatives, and business representatives to the SDMC.

    SDMC Responsibilities

    The SDMC must be involved in decisions related to areas specified by the TEC. The areas that require involvement of the SDMC are:

    ·         Implementing all pertinent campus-level planning processes;

    ·         Developing recommendations for the school budget;

    ·         Submitting recommendations for the school curriculum;

    ·         Recommending changes in the school’s staffing patterns;

    ·         Developing and approving the campus staff development plans;

    ·         Developing, reviewing, and revising the School Improvement Plan (SIP) for the purpose of improving student performance for all student populations. After the principal approves the SIP, the SDMC will present the plan to the school-based professional staff for a vote of approval. 

    ·         Reviewing and making recommendations regarding the school’s organizational structure; and

    ·         Establishing procedures to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input.